Sentence types and effects

A versatile resource on different types of sentences which could be used for KS3 or KS4, as a support for language analysis or as a guide for students' own creative writing. 

The resource helps students to consider the effect of sentence structure and variety, and to understand how English sentence structure is constructed. By studying different sentence structures, including simple sentences, compound sentences and complex sentences, students can then begin to analyse other aspects of English grammar, such as dependent clauses, independent clauses and subordinate clauses.

This activity could also lead to an examination of the effects of the English punctuation marks, including question marks, exclamation marks, commas and semicolons.

Students match sentences with example and possible effects. Teaching ideas and answers are also provided, for self- or peer-marking in class.

The sentence types include:

• simple, compound and complex  sentences

• short sentences

• incomplete sentences

• exclamatory sentences

• balanced sentences

• suspended sentences.